We Are A Community

At Michigan Ross, you gain more than just a first-class business education. Our collaborative, supportive, inclusive community enriches your experience, and sets you up with a lifetime network of friends across the globe.

You are here

Search Class Notes

Marnee Mulvoy, BBA ‘70, was included in the 2019 “CEO’s Who Get It” list compiled by Health and Safety Magazine. Mulvoy serves as CEO of Mr. Chain, a plastic safety chain manufacturer.

John Ivascu, BBA ‘99, was appointed as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Forum Energy Technologies. He has served as the company’s Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Secretary since February 2018. Prior to that, he served as Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary from August 2015 to February 2018, and Assistant General Counsel from June 2011 to August 2015. From 2006 to June 2011, John practiced corporate law at Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., representing public and private companies and investment banking firms in capital markets offerings, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and bankruptcy matters.

Richard (Dick) Kempthorn, BBA ‘51, died at the age of 92 on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. At the University of Michigan he was on the 1947 and 1948 National Championship football teams and an All American. His fame on the football field led him to be nicknamed "Killer Kempthorn." Dick followed his father, James O. Kempthorn, as the President of Kempthorn Motors. He was a former trustee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and also served on the Akron Canton Regional Airport board of Directors.

Joshua Bernard, BBA ‘15, joined Southfield-based Bernard Financial Group as a member of the senior management team. Bernard Financial says it closed $1.274 billion in commercial real estate mortgages in 2018, with $750 million-plus of that in the city. Most recently, Bernard worked as an associate with New York City-based TPG Capital in the company's national real estate lending group.

Vivek Sankaran, MBA ‘93, will become CEO of Frito-Lay North America starting in March after the retirement of current PepsiCo CEO Albert Carey. Prior to the CEO role, Vivek was serving as the President and Chief Operating Officer of the company, responsible for PepsiCo’s $15 billion snack and convenient foods business.

Kirsten Calvert Brady, MBA ‘91, was named Senior Vice President of Trinity Partners leading the firm’s marketing and business development initiatives.

Alexander Hardy, MBA ‘92, was named CEO of Genentech, a biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines to treat patients with serious or life-threatening medical conditions.

Erin Guthrie, MBA ‘13, was named regional general manager for Uber Midwest in Chicago, as director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. She was appointed by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.

Nicholas Lagerstrom, BBA ‘16, joined Salesforce as a Small Business Account Executive.

Simon Chen, BBA ‘02, was named Chief Operating Officer of Madison Park Financial Corporation, one of the most active Bay Area developers of innovative, urban mixed-use properties.

Katherine O’Hare, MBA ‘11, joined J.Crew as a Senior Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability.

Neesha Modi, MBA ‘12, was promoted to Senior Program Officer at the Kresge Foundation Detroit Program focusing on early childhood development and community activation.

Greg Johns, MBA ‘97, joined the San Francisco Symphony as their Finance Manager.

Marshall Chase, MBA ‘06, was named Director of Sustainability at Micron Technology in San Francisco.

Vanessa Broadhurst, MBA ‘94, was named Company Group Chairman for the Global Commercial Strategy Organization with Janssen, a Johnson & Johnson company.

Ken Possenriede, MBA ‘84, was named Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin, the global security and aerospace company employing nearly 100,000 people worldwide.

Ann Cunningham, MBA ‘96, was appointed to the board of VistaGen Therapeutics. “We are delighted to welcome Ann to our Board of Directors,” stated Shawn Singh, Chief Executive Officer of VistaGen. “With decades of commercial and leadership experience in the pharmaceutical industry, experience that is especially relevant in the depression and other CNS markets we are pursuing, Ann’s expertise expands our Board’s strengths. We look forward to her valuable insights and strategic guidance as we continue to advance our pipeline programs.”

Nate Springer, MBA ‘11, was named the Director of Market Development for Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA), a leading North American consulting firm specializing in market development for low emission and alternative fuel vehicle technologies.